You are more likely to exercise if you find enjoyable, convenient activities. Give some thought to your likes and dislikes, and remember that preferences can change over time.
Pair an activity you enjoy with your exercise
There are numerous activities that qualify as exercise. The trick is to find something you enjoy that forces you to be active. Pairing exercise with another activity makes it easier and more fun. Simple examples include:
Take a dance or yoga class
Blast some favorite music and dance with your kids.
Make a deal with yourself to watch your favorite TV shows while on the treadmill or stationary bike.
Workout with a buddy, and afterwards enjoy coffee or a movie. Enjoy outdoor activities such as golf, playing Frisbee, or even yard work or gardening.
Get a dog, get active
Owning a dog leads to a more active lifestyle. Playing with a dog and taking him for a walk, hike, or run are fun and rewarding ways to fit exercise into your schedule.
Studies have shown that dog owners are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than non-owners.
One year-long study found that walking an overweight dog helped both the animals and their owners lose weight (11 to 15 pounds).
Researchers found that the dogs provided support in similar ways to a human exercise buddy, but with greater consistency and without any negative influence.
Public housing residents who walked therapy dogs for up to 20 minutes, five days a week, lost an average of 14.4 pounds in a year, without changing their diets.
If you’re not in a position to own a dog, you can volunteer to walk homeless dogs for an animal shelter or rescue group.
You’ll not only be helping yourself but also be helping to socialize and exercise the dogs, making them more adoptable read more about getting active hindi health point.
Make exercise a social activity
Exercise can be a fun time to socialize with friends and working out with others can help keep you motivated. For those who enjoy company but dislike competition, a running club, water aerobics, or dance class may be the perfect thing.
Others may find that a little healthy competition keeps the workout fun and exciting. You might seek out tennis partners, join an adult soccer league, find a regular pickup basketball game, or join a volleyball team. For many, a workout partner can be a great motivator.
For example, if you won’t get out of bed to swim yourself, but you would never cancel on a friend, find a swim buddy.
Set yourself goals and rewards
Rewarding yourself for reaching an exercise goal is one of the best ways to stay motivated.
Set an achievable goal regarding your participation and effort, not necessarily how much weight you can lift, miles you can bike, or pounds you can lose lost.
If you stumble in your efforts, regroup and begin again. Reward yourself when you reach your goals—a new pair of shoes, a dinner out, whatever works to motivate you.
Focus on activities you enjoy
If you hate jogging, you won’t be able to maintain a jogging program no matter how good it is for you. On the other hand, if you love to swim, dance, or play tennis you’ll find it easier to sick with an exercise program that’s built around those activities.
Take it slow
Start with an activity you feel comfortable doing, go at your own pace, and keep your expectations realistic. For example, training for a marathon when you’ve never run before may be a bit daunting, but you could give yourself the goal of participating in an upcoming 5k walk for charity.
Focus on short-term goals
such as improving your mood and energy levels and reducing stress, rather than goals such as weight loss or increased muscle size, as these can take longer to achieve.
Make exercise a priority
If you have trouble fitting exercise into your schedule, consider it an important appointment with yourself and mark it on your daily agenda.
Commit to an exercise schedule for at least 3 or 4 weeks so that it becomes habit, and force yourself to stick with it. Even the busiest amongst us can find a 10-minute slot to pace up and down an office staircase or take the dog for a walk.
Schedule your workout at the time of day when your energy is highest.
That may be first thing in the morning before work or school, or at lunchtime before the mid-afternoon lull hits. If depression or anxiety has you feeling tired and unmotivated all day long, try dancing to some music or simply going for a walk.
Even a short, 15-minute walk can help clear your mind, improve your mood, and boost your energy level. As you move and start to feel a little better, you’ll experience a greater sense of control over your well-being.
You may even feel energized enough to exercise more vigorously—by walking further, breaking into a run, or adding a bike ride, for example.
Go easy on yourself
Do you feel bad about your body? Instead of being your own worst critic, try a new way of thinking about your body. No matter what your weight, age, or fitness level, there are others like you with the same goal of exercising more. Try surrounding yourself with people in your shoes. Take a class with others of a similar fitness level. Accomplishing even the smallest fitness goals will help you gain body confidence.
Safety tips for exercisers
If you’ve never exercised before, or it’s been a significant amount of time since you’ve attempted any strenuous physical activity, keep in mind the following general health precautions:
Get medical clearance. If you have special health issues such as an existing heart condition or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor or health practitioner and let him or her know your plans.
Stretch. No matter what form of exercise you choose, you’ll benefit from adding stretching exercises to gain flexibility and range of motion. Stretching gently to warm up and cool down is the best form of injury-prevention for new exercisers.
Drink plenty of water. Your body performs best when it’s properly hydrated. Failing to drink enough water when you are exerting yourself over a prolonged period of time, especially in hot conditions, can be dangerous.
Conclusion
Exercising moderately for 30 minutes, five times a week is one of the best things you can do for your physical health and mental health issues such as depression. Can’t find 30 minutes in your busy schedule? That’s okay, two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts can be just as effective.
About the Creator
Dr Jith Tho
am certified in addiction counseling, public health, health education, mental health and I am also an AIDS-certified registered nurse with more than 30 years of experience
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